The Fiery Redhead

There was only a small moment to collect his thoughts once more.  This child was a complete failure at taking the hint.  She didn’t have any respect for the grunt, that much was clear.  So much so to waste her breathe on banter that broke her chances of knowing Cole into pieces.  Whether she knew it or not, she was just using him in the end for her own selfish desire.  He wouldn’t have minded it so much if she would at least listen to him.  That was the deciding factor for his next set of actions.

When the grunt began to reveal signs of hostility, the redhead stepped back, regretting her words. He released a Honedge, which she had never seen before. Despite being amazed, Eri was shocked that he ordered them to keep her at a distance. She was used to being deemed as annoying, but never threatened like this. This guy really did not want to get close. She never intended to fulfill any selfish desires either. 

Cole snapped his fingers, and his Houndoom came to his side.  He needed a quick rest before he could continue on any farther.  Like earlier, he was now sitting against the trunk of a wet tree catching his breathe.

Eri perked at him snapping his fingers. When the hound rushed to his side, she noticed they were heading towards a nearby tree. Thinking the boys were tired, she checked her Xtransceiver. It was not dinner time yet. Good.

“Do not even pretend that we are on the same level.  The only thing that we share is that we are both human.  Everything else between the two of us is separated by at least a mile.  You cannot pinpoint one similarity between us, let alone live up to your own words.  If you cannot even do something as simple as speak the truth, then sew your mouth shut.”

Still tailing them, she thought it was weird that he refused to share his name. It was irksome. Unless something really ticked her off, anger was rare for her. As someone who used to work in customer service, she experienced many types of people. Most were forgettable, but some no. The redhead wanted and liked seeing the good in people. Thinking Cole’s harshness was meant to push her away, she wanted to avoid pissing him off.

Dismissing the poor and outdated slang, Cole did take great pride in his pokemon.  They were all well-trained and most of them well-mannered…most of them.  Ares still had a long way to go before he was even given the privilege to be on the streets again.  His overprotective dog had posed to be more than a problem at times.

Using outdated slang seemed to amuse Eri. No one could comprehend her mind process. Perhaps it was because she was born in a time where new slang was beginning to emerge. She rarely heard anyone say “radical” or “groovy,” which sounded funny to her. Somehow she learned of and started using them for who knows what. She just wanted to lighten the mood.

Man was she was desperate.  Not the normal kind of desperation, but the kind that’s willing to grovel for a chance.  Yes, this young girl was a pain in the ass, and someone who is not following the grunt’s basic philosophies (not that she knew them anyway).  However, she was not intentionally causing him problems, and seemed she was willing to learn from her…mistakes.  Cole sighed before speaking out his decision:

Ten feet was a huge number. Deeming the hostility as excessive, the redhead sighed. Eri thought it was going to be difficult to track him. Due to his height, he had longer legs and was a fast walker. The way he acted proved he disliked her. Not everyone had to like her. Surprisingly he did not order his hound to kill her instantly. He probably comprehended that she wasn’t here to agitate him. Even if he was in uniform, she was unwilling to fight unless she had to.

It would seem she was a fool after all.  He wasn’t enjoying himself, nor was he remotely acknowledging anything that she was saying as the truth.  Simply by trying to see the good instead of bad, you’re already lying to yourself.  And Cole despised liars.

Perhaps she was lying to herself, but she felt it was unnecessary to express any sign of depression. Even if she did get upset, she wound up laughing at herself in the end. 

“No.  You have that completely backwards.  People are naturally and undeniably selfish.  To deny that fact is nothing short of foolish.”

Evil dominating kindness was undeniable. Eri herself was not exactly kind-hearted either. Like most people, she had to fend for herself. That meant consuming resources and competing for first place at a yearly match. She wasn’t cruel, but knew were no such thing as “good people.” Regardless, she believed in bringing out the good in them. 

…Really?  We’re going to be the whole ‘everybody is a friend’ type of person.  The girl’s upbeat tone and actions weren’t working with Cole, especially since he wasn’t having the best day.  This one gets two more minutes at most before he just outright leaves.

Optimistic as she was, Eri was not the smartest crayon in the box. She just wanted people to be happy and thought Cole needed to crack a smile. Unfortunately he didn’t, which was a disappointment to her.

“I’m already collaborating with my pokemon.  If you were smart, you would do the same.”

Nobody could comprehend her mindset besides her friends. Being with Cole made her feel more comfortable despite his frigid exterior. Most of the time she had no one to talk to and this was her chance to make a friend.

“No.  I don’t know the layout of the forest, or much of Unova for that matter.  Look around for a trail or something.  I don’t have time to babysit.”

The harsh response surprised her. Forcing a smile, she asked herself if following him around was worth it. Desperate to get to the next town, she realized he was unfamiliar with the forest’s layout either. 

“Did you not hear me the first time?  Get lost.  Beat it.  Piss off.  I don’t have time for your shit kid.”

There was something about him that drew her attention. Perhaps it was his uniform because it was red, one of her favorite colors. As an extrovert, the redhead did not comprehend the concept of steeling herself from someone else’s business. She was just curious about him. The way he attempted to shoo her away was funny.

“I don’t even know how you reached that conclusion.  Regardless, get out of my way.  I don’t have time for this.”

“Hey! It was just a question!” Chimed Eri, jogging after him.